Improvement in machines for cleaning feathers



H. J. BECKWITH.

Feather Renovatof. I

MWHUHW Patented May 5, 1868.

N-PETERS, PMOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

.and simplestmanner to the feathers.

' be composed of rubber, 8w.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. A

HENRY JAMES BEGKWITH, OF GHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING FEATHERS.

Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 77.57l, dated May 5, 18%.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY JAMES BECK- WITH, ofChieopee, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new combination of parts forming a useful and improved machine for cleaning feathers by the use of steam in connection with said machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of my invention.

In Figure 1, A B O D represent a sectional view of a wooden box of any convenient form or size. It should be large enough to hold the contents of a large feather-bed. This box has a movable cover to an opening used to admit the feathers. In the center of this box I place a metal cylinder, EE, about ten inches in diameter. It extends from end to end of the box A B O D, and is water and steam tight-that is to say, there is no communication between its interiors and that of the box A B O D. This cylinder is used as a heater, to dry the feathers after they havebeen steamed. Around this heater Iplace a winding pipe, commencing at P. The windings of the pipe are represented by the letters P S S S S. Its object is to convey stem in the best Openings are made at intervals along the whole pipe. The direction of the steam entering the feather-box from the steam-box is indicated by the arrows on the steam-pipe P S S S S. The head-pieces H I I and L M N are made of cast-iron, and are fitted onto pro jecting circular flanges on each end of the box, and are represented by the red lines t t. Each of these head pieces terminates in the form of a tube, as seen at H and M, and form the axis of the machine.

supplies, as may be required, the heater E E or the steam-pipe P S S S S. I regulate the entrance of the steam to the heater and steampipe by the use of the slide-valve 1, which is situated within the steam-chamber H I I. The steam enters into the pipe V, which may The steam, having entered the pipe V from the steam-boiler, continues through the hollow axis M into the steam-chamber described.

Fig. 2 represents an end view of the machine without the head-pieces H I I, which shows the form of the slide-valve and its mode of action. It is secured by grooves on each side, into which it moves. The blue circular The head piece H I I is also used as a steam-chamber, and

disk a represents the open end of the pipe P S S S S, while the opening which leads to the heater is closed by the valves, as represented at d. I

Fig. 3 represents a detached view of the same arrangement; but in this case the end view of the steam-pipe P S S S S is represented as shut off by the downward motion of the valve r, leaving thereby the opening to the heater free to receive a charge of steam, while the openingofthesteam-pipePSSSSiscutofl. I use the chamber or head-piece L M N as a receiver for the waste steam from the steampipe P S S S S ihrough the connecting branches X X. The steam from the heater also enters into the chamber L M N. 0 is a waste-pipe to allow the condensed steam to escape through the axis M.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the machine at B C. The opening represented by the darts are the terminals of the branch pipes X X describedand the opening E E represents the end of the heater which terminates into the headpiece L M N. T T represent a frame work for the support of the machine. On the feathers being placed into the steam-box the valve 1", Fig. 1, is made to shut the healer and allow the steam to enter the steam-pipe P S S S S. Tue steam box is shut tightly up, while the machine and contents are made to revolve on the frame-work, causing the steam and feathers to combine. \Vhen the feathers are cleaned, the steam is cut off from the steanrpipe. I then remove the cover. from the steam-box A B C D, to allow the free steam to escape. At the same time I allow the steam to be admitted into the heater to dry the feathers. \Vhen they are dry I turn them out of the box to cool.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The new combination of thehead-piece H I I, secured on the flange H, in connection with the box A B C D and the slidevalve r, and the steam-pipe P S S S S, arranged to operate together substantially as described.

2. The use of the head-piece L M N, combined with the branch tubes X X and the heater E E, and the waste-pipe 0, arranged to operate together substantially as described.

HENRY JAMES BEOKWITH.

Witnesses:

THOMAS TAYLOR, I. P. CoLLERn. 

